"Bless the City" Greenspace Project

Join us as we work together to make Port Colborne a better city. Port Colborne is a wonderful city with great potential. We love living, working and playing here. There is no place like it. BUT, our city is also filled with vacant lots and derelict buildings that subtract from the appeal of our community. But, we can do something about it! Our goal is transform one ugly, vacant, chain-linked lot at the corner of King and Charlotte into a beautiful community space. For years this piece of property has sat empty and useless. By purchasing the land, and then beautifying it, we will enhance our downtown, provide much needed greenspace, and catalyze further improvements to our downtown area. St. J & B Anglican Church is committed to making our city a better place for everyone. We know you feel the same way we do. So, let's work together! We need your help. That's why we have the three B's:

1. BUY the Land: In order to do anything creative or wonderful, we first have to get the land. For years it is has been owned by an absentee landlord who has done nothing to keep the land looking respectable. With the help of a community partner, St. J & B has already secured the land through an interest-free loan, and we now have two (2) years to pay for it. So, our first objective is to raise the needed funds to properly purchase the land.

2. BEAUTIFY the Lot: St. J & B has been working with a landscape architect who has created a beautiful vision for the new property. This gated garden space will include trees, benches, bushes, a pavilion, a mural, an edible garden, a fountain, and more! We hope to begin construction of the new space in the spring/summer of 2017. We are hopeful that much of the material and labour for this garden can be donated by local businesses and tradespeople, but we will need to raise funds for its creation as well.

3. BLESS the City: Along with the vacant lot comes two buildings that are part and parcel of the same property. One building used to be a Snake Museum! The other used to be a Hell's Angels clubhouse!!! Both of these buildings are eyesores in our downtown and, needless to say, have a negative stigma. It is our hope that once the garden his complete, we can proceed to transform/repurpose these buildings for the good of the city. We will need community input about how to reinvent these spaces, and we will need to assess the needs in our downtown. For now, we simply need to maintain them until the time comes to redevelop them. This too will cost some money.

In the end, this whole project will cost upwards of $300,000. This sounds like a lot. It certainly sounds like a lot for one little church like ours! But we are confident that everyone in Port Colborne will rally around this project. With a little bit of help from everyone (individuals, and businesses) this goal is well within reach, and a better city is just around the corner. Remember: All donations will receive a charitable receipt from St. J & B.

So, please join us! Let's work together for a brighter future and a better Port Colborne!